4 DIY Home Improvement Ideas for When You’re Gearing up to Sell

If you are getting ready to sell your home you may be considering a few household projects to boost your home’s value.  But which project should you choose when the list of possible home improvement projects is never-ending?  If you intend to DIY your home improvement project you may want to stay away from difficult renovations that could become messy, time-consuming, and expensive. Instead, stick with home improvement projects that are easy to complete but will increase your home’s sale price.  

Spray Paint Your Front Door

Your front door is the gateway to your home.  It is only fitting that you make your front door as appealing and welcoming as possible to future homebuyers.  A freshly painted front door is considered one of the most important projects to complete before selling your home by over 70% of real estate agents.  Luckily, painting your front door is a fairly easy home improvement task.  Spray paint is the easiest material to quickly revive your front door.  However, spray paint colors can be limited and you should be mindful of the quality of spray paint you choose.  Popular front door colors are blue, yellow, and red.  However, the color you choose should coordinate with the style and color of your home’s exterior.  The most popular color to spray paint your front door is black.  In fact, homes with black front doors sell for $6,000 more on average.  

When you begin your front door makeover you should remove the door hinges and door hardware.  When the door is removed you can lay it flat and lightly sand it so that the surface is rough enough to hold the paint.  Wipe the door down with a household degreaser and then dry it completely.  Coat the door with a layer of primer.  When the primer is dry you can spray the door with at least two coats of color, making sure to follow the manufacturer recommendations for drying time between coats.  When the door is completely dry you can reattach the hardware and put it back on the hinges.

Plant a Maintenance Free Colorful Flower Bed

You may be so concerned about prepping your home’s interior to sell, that you forget about the exterior.  But a well-landscaped home is worth anywhere from 1% to 10% more than homes without landscaping.  Planting colorful flowers is an easy DIY home improvement project that any homeowner can manage.  First, choose a spot that gets full sun if possible.  This will provide the most options when choosing plants.  At your local nursery, you should select colorful flowers that are easy to maintain.  Marigolds, coneflowers, lavender, and Russian sage are easy to care for disease-free plants to consider.  You should also choose annual and perennial flowers that are native to your area.  Dig up and till the soil to prepare it.  Next, dig a trench 4-6 inches deep around the flower bed.  Plant your flowers with the taller plants in the back and the shorter ones upfront.  Top them off with a fresh layer of mulch.  Water the area to help the plants establish their roots.  

Touch Up the Caulk in Your Bathroom

If you have cleaned your bathroom but the area around the bathtub still looks dated or unclean it might be time for a new layer of caulk.  Caulk is the waterproof filter that is used to seal the gaps between the tub and tile or the wall.  It can become prone to mildew, mold, and cracking as it ages. Fixing old caulk is an easy and very inexpensive project.  Begin by purchasing a tube of mold and mildew-resistant latex caulk and a caulking gun.  Next, remove the existing caulk with a utility knife.  When the surface is clean and dry, use painter’s tape to outline the area where the new line of caulk will be applied.  Using the caulk gun, apply a bead of caulk.  You should smooth out the caulk with a moistened finger, wiping away excess caulk as you go.  Remove the strip of tape while the caulk is still wet.  

Update Your Kitchen Hardware

Kitchen renovations are expensive and time-consuming so if you are interested in updating your kitchen before you sell, you should find small inexpensive kitchen projects such as updating your kitchen hardware.  Finding new hardware is as easy as a trip to the hardware store.  There are hundreds of different styles, colors, and finishes of hardware so try to get an idea of the look that will match your kitchen before you go to the store.  You can purchase knobs and pulls individually or as a larger contractor pack which is much cheaper.  If you switch out the knobs and pulls you should also change the hinges to the cabinets.  

Small updates can go a long way to refresh your home when you are gearing up to sell.  Instead of focusing on just one room or one large renovation, you can complete small DIY home improvements.  These home improvements are easy enough to tackle yourself and can increase your chances of selling your home at a great price.